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Interest Groups

Interest Groups. Chapter 11. Characteristics . Interest groups is a linkage group that is a public or private organization, affiliation, or committee Its goal is the dissemination (broadcast) of its membership’s viewpoint

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Interest Groups

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  1. Interest Groups Chapter 11

  2. Characteristics Interest groups is a linkage group that is a public or private organization, affiliation, or committee Its goal is the dissemination (broadcast) of its membership’s viewpoint Result will be persuading public policymakers to respond to the group’s perspective

  3. Characteristics Interest groups and political parties are both characterized by group identification and group affiliation. Differ in the fact that interest groups do not nominate candidates for political office. Their function is to influence officeholders rather than end up as elected officials.

  4. Characteristics Interest groups provide a great deal of specialized information to legislators. Advocates claim they provide an additional check and balance. Critics say they are partly responsible for gridlock in government.

  5. Characteristics Once formed, group has internal functions such as attracting and keeping a viable membership. Groups accomplish this by making promises that they will be able to succeed in their political goals (which will benefit political, economic, and social needs of its members). Example: People want stricter laws against drunk driving join Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), feel a political and social sense of accomplishment when federal law dictates a national minimum drinking age in return for federal aid to states for highway construction.

  6. Vocabulary Campaign finance reform -Hyperpluralism Elite and class theory -Interest group Faction -Lobbyists Freedom of Information Act -PACs Hard money -Soft money

  7. Group Theory Nature of group membership is not representative of the population as a whole The group theory of modern government encourages the development of special interest groups. Many groups have as their members people with higher income and education; balanced by groups that represent unions and blue collar

  8. Group Theory 3 potential kinds of group activity (review): pluralist, hyperpluralist, and elite. Pluralism suggest a centrist position results because there is a more far-reaching and balancing group representation. Elite defines group behavior as deriving from an upper class (some interest groups are elitist in nature). Hyperpluralism is basically the same theory with different perspective. They believe the groups are too strong and they suppress the power of the government.

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